Improved apparatus for dipping lucifer-matches



s A. BELL & T. HIGGINS. APPARATUS FOR DIPPING LUGIFER MATCHES.

No. 88,878. Patented June 16, 1863.

NrrE

SAMUEL A. BELL, OF EPPiNG VILLAS, STRATFORD, AND THOMAS HIGGINS,

OF CARRIACO TERRACE, BOlV, ENGLAND.

IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR DIPFING LUClFER-MATCHES.

Qpecification forming part of Letters Patent No. 88,3'55, dated June16;}863.

To all whom.- it may concern/.-

Beit known that we, SAMUEL ALEXANDER BELL, of Epping Villas, Stratford,lucifermatch manufacturer, and THOMAS HIGGINS, of Oarriaco Terrace, Bow,in the county of Middlesex, Tornographer, have invented an ImprovedApparatus for Dipping Lucifer- Matches and we do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full and exact description of the said invention.

This invention relates to improved means foreifecting what is known asthe dipping of lucifer-matches-that is, the coating the. ends of splintsor matches with the compound that ignites by applying friction thereto.

The chief object of the invention is to present the matches on splints(while contained in a traversing clamp or frame) endwise to a continuoussupply of phosphorus or other like ignitible compound evenly laid uponor covering a containing surface, and thereby to enable the matches asthey are passed through the machine to take up upon their ends asuitable supply of the compound. By this arrangement we not onlyfacilitate the dipping operation, but also remove the liability which atpresent exists of-'the workman contracting the disease which is nowcommon among lncifer-match makers in consequence of manipulating thephosphorus compounds.

' In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents in longitudinalsectional elevation our improved apparatus for coating the ends ofmatches with the igniting-compound, and Fig. 2 is a partial plan view ofthe same. Figs. 3 and 4 show in plan and edge view a novel constructionof frame for holding the clamping-boards between which'the splints ormatches to be dipped are suitably arranged.

These frames we constructof'metal andin the following manner: The sidesa a are made of rolled iron oi \/-shape d sectiompnd they are connectedtogether at their opposite ends by crossbars b "of The cross-bar b istapped to receive clampingscrews, which are intended to act uponafollower, d, and-hold the clamps firmly in position in the frame. Thesides of the frame form guides for receiving and re taining theclamping-boards e, the ends of which are shaped to correspond with thev-shaped guides. When a suitable number of these boards, filled with thesplintsor matches, are inserted in the frame, the follower orpressing-bar d is brought down upon them by means of theclamping-screws, and they are then firmly secured in the frame. Anadvantage consequent on this sectional form for the sides of the frameis that there will be little tendency for the phosphorus or otherignitible composition to accumulate in the clamp-frame.

. We will now proceed to describe the construction of the apparatus,whereby the splints or matches, thus arranged and secured inclamping-frames, are coated at their ends with the ignitiblecomposition. i

A A, Fig. l, is a table carried by suitable supports rising from thebedplate A. At about the middle of this table is fixed a vessel, B, forcontaining the ignitible compound, and within itis mounted a roller, 1),for presenting the compound to the matches in the form of an even layeror coating. A pulley,

1, on the spindle'of this roller, receiving a belt,

2, from the main driving-shaft, serves to communicate rotary motionthereto.

For the frames E to and from the roller D, the ma; chine is providedwith a series of conical roll,

ers, E, and where these are inapplicable by equivalent supports in theform of fixed guides E which latter overlie the ends of the roller. Theclamping-frames being placed on this guideway, a progressive motion isgiven to them by means of a pair of endless bands or chains, F F,provided with fingers set equidistant t'rom each other, as shown at Fig.1, and bearing against the rear ends 'of the clamping-frames. Thesebands are passed over pairs of pulleys G G, mountednear the ends of themachine, and they are lapped around smaller pulleys, H H, keyed to themain drivingshaft I at'the middle of the machine, or the driving-motionmay be commu-.

nicated directly to the shaft of one of the pairs of pulleys G G, whichshafts are carried'by suitable standards forming, partof the mainframing. lar grooves of a suitable width to receive the ends of thesplints or matches" to be dipped or coated at their-- .-=ends with theignitible composition. These grooves are set at such a distance apart asto suit the: arrangement of the splints or matches in the clamps. The

purpose of guiding the clamping The roller 1) isformed with annu vesselB is of a segmental form, and it is inserted in or forms part of awater-case, U. The lips of this segmental hollow are provided withledges of porous material kept moist by water, which finds its waythereto through fine holes made in the water-case. The composition isplaced in the segmental hollow, and fitted to the vessel B is a gage, N,with iudents on its edgecorresponding to'the the grooves at the mostelevated portion of thefrotating roller and take up the composi- A tiontherefrom. It will now be understood that the dipping or coating of theends of splints or matches will be a continuous and expeditiousoperation, one clamping-frame 2 sea-1a succeeding the other as quicklyas it is thought desirable to advance them to the ignitible-compoundcoatingsurface. Having now set forth the nature of 011F101 vention andexplained the mannerot carry-'2 ing the same into effect, what we claimas our invention, and desire to secureby Letters Patcut, is-

- Submitting splints ormawnes -to the dip ping operation by presentingtheir ends to a continuous supply of the phosphorus or other likeignitible-compound in the manner above described. y

In witness whereof we, the said- SAMUEL ALEXANDER BELL and THOMASHrecms, have hereunto set our hands and seals this 4th day of April,1863. p

" SAML. A. BELL.

I THOMAS HIGGINS. Witnesses:

Faun. WALKDEN,

60 Chancery Lane, London. J. W. WYNN,

"24 Royal Exchange, London.

